Freight-car



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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(No Model.)

P; KLIER FREIGHT GAR.

No: 244.622. Patented July 19,1881.

WITNESSES N. PETER; PhnlgvL'rthognph-r. Washington, n.c.

UNITED STATES FRANCIS KLlER, OF CAIRO, ILLrN'oIs.

FREIGHT-CAR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters? Patent No. 244,622, dated J'uly 19, 1881.

Y Application filed November 26,1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

'Be itknown that I, FRANCIS KLIER, of Cairo,

in the county of Alexander and State of Illinois, have invented a new and ImprovedOon vertible Grain and Freight Car, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to so" construct and arrange a car that it canreadily be converted from a box freight-car into a bottom-discharging grain-car and vice versa, whereby, when used as a grain-car, the grain can be discharged from it much more rapidly; than from the ordinary grain-car, thus pre-' venting in a great measure the frequent b1ock-. ades on roads that arise from the compare-1 tively slow discharging of the enormous qua-n-f tities of bulk-grain transported by the roads, and whereby, when the season for transport;

ing grain has closed,the cars can be converted into ordinary box freight-cars, thereby obviat-' in g the necessity of. constructing separate cars for the different traffics.

The invention consists of a box-car having a central bottom opening controlled by suitable doors, and having a sectional hinged false floor that may be adjusted to form a grain, floor, sloping from the ends of the ear to the central opening thereof, or may be arranged to' form a closed fiat floor for-receiving ordinary freight; and it consists, further, of adjustable floor-supports arranged and operated as hereinafter described.

Figure l is a perspective view, showing the interior of the car with floor sections and supports in various positions. Fig. 2' is a plan of a car-interior as arranged for carrying'grain. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan of a car-interior, showing various positions of parts. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on line 00 a, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on line y 1 Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the solid level fioor' of the car, depressed at its central section, as shown at a, by removal of the floor at that point about the central opening, B, which is designed to be about four feet by one in dimensions, for the ready delivery of grain. The end sections, 0 c, of the floor A have several longitudinal parallel grooves, d d, formed in them for the reception of the bars 0, which are preferably of iron,

- and pivoted at one end on the borders of secthat the said bars (3 can, when desired, be arranged flush with the surface of the, floor A.

Secured in the floorA, flush with its surface, are the socketed plates D, that serve as supports for the bar-supports g 9 when the said bars (3. are elevated tohold up the false floor E. The false floor Eis constructed in two end sections, h, and two central sectionsfl' z', the

former being hinged by long strap-hinges k k to the opposite ends of the car, about twelve inches above the floor A, andbeing of sufficient size to reach entirely across the car and halfway" to the central section, i, of the fixed floor A, while the central sections, 0; i, of the false floor are hinged to the floor A, alongthe edges of its center, a, and meet in the center of the car over the central opening, B, and form a portionof the-ordinary freight car floor, or

turn up to meetand abut against the sec tions it h, when they are turned down and form a portion of the sloping grain-car floor. The hinges on these sections a h extend nearly across them,for the purpose of increasing their strength and durability, and the sections 72 h are provided along their unhinged edges with buttons Z,-that engage in hooks or loops'm in the ends of the car andhold said sections it h up when the car is used as an ordinary freight car. Suitable hooks or rings may be fastened in these sections h 6,, whereby they may be readily lifted and adjusted, and elastic packin g-strips m, to make ti ghtj oints, may be placed between the sections ht'when the car is arranged for transporting grain. The floor besuitable casting, and is closed from beneath by iron slides G, that are operated by means of hand-wheels and screws H, that are suitably arranged for this purpose.

L represents a grain-car door resting on an ofi'set of the iron door-sill M, the sides of said door L being let in the door-jambs, as shown at o. The cleats that strengthen door L are on the outside, so that the door L presents a smooth surface on the inside.

When arranging the car, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, forcarrying grain the barsOare raised from their grooves d dand moved laterallyand adjusted with their supports g g resting in the sooketed plates D, the sections it hof the false floor E are then let down upon the said bars 0, and the sections Mare raised and turned back on said bars 0, whereby is formed a floor sloping from each end toward the center of the car. This floor should now be covered with zinc or sheet-iron, that the grain may readily slide upon it, and all the joints about the floor should be made tight. The grain-door L is then set in place in the cast-iron door-sill M and door-jambs, and held down by iron pins or other suitable fastenings. When ready to unload the oar-load of grain one man will open the outlet B by turning the wheels and screws H, and thereby moving the slides Gapart, and the grain will then shoot through the outletB into the conveyer beneath the track or into other suitable receptacle, unloading the car in less time than it would take four or five men to get into a car and begin to work at unloading in the usual manner.

In the ordinary method of unloading graincars the grain is scattered about outside the door, the work is very laborious, the workmen are annoyed and injured by the dust from the grain, and the process is comparatively slow and expensive. All these objections are avoided by the device herein described.

In order to transform the grain-car intoa car for carrying ordinary merchandise, the graindoors L are removed and hung up within the car, the end sections, it, of the false floor E are raised and fastened back, the sections 6 t are turned on the center a of the car -floor, and the bars 0 are raised to withdraw their supports 9 g from the sooketed plates D, and swung so that said supports 9 9 shall enter the holes f f and permit said bars 0 to drop into the grooves d d flush with the floor A, as shown in Fig. 5. In this manner the car is quickly converted into a box freight-car suitable for common traffic.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In freight-cars, the false bottom or floor E, having two end sections, h h, and two middle sections, i i, the former hinged to opposite ends of the car and the latter hinged to the floor A, and turning down over the central opening, B, as shown and described.

2. In a car, the combination, with the floor A and the supporting-bars 0, provided with supports 9, of the socketplates D, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a car, the combination, with the main floor A, provided with grooves 11 and holes f, substantially as herein shown and described, of the supporting-bars 0, supports g, and adjustable floor E, the said grooves and holes permitting the said bars to be laid flush with the main floor, as set forth.

FRANCIS KLIER.

Witnesses:

B. F. PARKER, A. 0. PHELPs. 

